The Real Deal New York

Riverdale freestanding house designed as home for Jesus hits market for $14.99M

An elaborate Riverdale home built in 1928 by the head of the New York Theological Society in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ has hit the market for $14.99 million, according to Streeteasy.com and the listing broker.

The 15,000-square-foot Chapel Hill Mansion estate, at 360 West 253rd Street, is set upon 2.3 acres of land, with seven bedrooms, seven full bathrooms and five half-bathrooms. It was designed to house the Christian savior once he returned to earth to judge the living and the dead, said listing broker Sean McPeak of Prudential Douglas Elliman.

The property was previously owned by Manhattan College, which had planned to use it as dormitories or a seminary, but is now in the hands of a private owner who is an attorney. The property is available as a land lease but a deal could be struck for the land itself, McPeak said.

“The price has to be right,” he said, if the buyer is to purchase the land, available for an undisclosed amount.

The property is elaborately decorated, McPeak said, with marble floors imported from the Vatican, chandeliers acquired from the Plaza Hotel, and original hand-carved marble fireplaces. One of the fireplaces is an exact replica of a fireplace in the White House.

It also has modern conveniences, including a full gym, sauna, conservatory and a terrace with a hot tub.

While the property is in Riverdale, “it’s not really a Riverdale property,” McPeak said, referring to the quality of the property’s interiors. “It’s more of an international listing.”

The broker said he expects the property to be picked up by a foreign buyer. Messiahs are also welcome to apply.